Monthly Archives: July 2012

The first annual Renewing the Priesthood Conference, jointly sponsored by the Thomistic Institute and the Dominican Priory of St. Louis Bertrand, was held July 10–12 at the priory in Louisville, Kentucky. One hundred priests from more than 40 dioceses and religious orders were in attendance. Read more

The latest film from the quirky independent filmmaker Wes Anderson (“The Royal Tannenbaums,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox”), “Moonrise Kingdom” takes us back to a small New England town in the summer of 1965. All still seemed innocent and idyllic.

At the Khaki Scout camp, the troop gathers for breakfast when the Scout Master (Edward Norton) notices that one of his campers is missing. All begin searching for Sam, who left a note saying that he is leaving camp. It turns out that Sam is an orphan who has been living in a foster home. His foster parents do not want him back because they claim he is emotionally disturbed. As the scouts search for Sam, sympathetic Police Captain Sharp (Bruce Willis) wonders what will become of the boy.

Meanwhile Sam has run away with his girlfriend, Suzy. The two 12-year-olds hide out on a cove while all look frantically for them. Captain Sharp calls in Social Services. In one of the movie’s wittiest themes, Tilda Swinton plays a woman who only refers to herself as “Social Services.” It seems that she has no name of her own!

Anderson has shot “Moonrise Kingdom” beautifully. Every shot is perfectly composed. A long sequence that takes place in a summer thunderstorm is particularly impressive. Anderson often uses a left-to-right panning shot effectively, as in the opening sequence when all members of the Bishop family are introduced in their house. Anderson has assembled a fine cast of comic actors, many of whom he has worked with previously. In addition to the above mentioned, Bill Murray and Frances McDormand are the Bishops, Suzy’s parents. Bruce Willis is particularly effective playing against type as the kindly police captain who brings Sam into his home.

“Moonrise Kingdom” is beautiful to look at, with a cast of likeable actors. It also features a memorable score by Alexandre Desplat, doing variations on Britten’s “Young People’s Guide to the Orchestra.” Don’t leave before the end of the credits to hear an analysis of the score!

Yet, despite being technically accomplished, “Moonrise Kingdom” felt flat. I was puzzled by the experience. When I left the theater, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to make of it. Neither the plot nor the characters were particularly compelling. With the exception of Willis’ police captain, none of the characters seemed real; they needed to be fleshed out. Anderson’s previous animated film, “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” was much more successful in combining a distinctive technical style with substantial characters and plot.

So my verdict on “Moonrise Kingdom” is mixed. Thumbs up for technique and quirkiness; thumbs down for plot and character.

Located off 6 Mile Road in Racine, Wisconsin, lies a unique destination, the Racine Dominican Sisters’ Ecology Center for Justice. The “Eco-J Center,” as it is called by those who know it as home, is a center for education, conservation, and sustainability. These values sprout from the 8 Rs, which are the roots of this great foundation: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Reverence, Respect, Responsibility, Rethink, and Repair. Read more

Above: The Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids have a new leadership team, elected in February, whose six-year term of service was effective July 1. Sister Maureen Geary (front, right) is the new prioress, with Sister Sandra Delgado (center) to serve as vicaress and Sister Mary Ann Barrett and Sister Lucianne Siers (left to right) elected as councilors. The new team, based at the Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids Marywood campus, works with 235 sisters serving in ministries in Michigan, New Mexico, Louisiana, Montana, Peru and Honduras.

Below: More than 45 years of Dominican Sisters ~ Grand Rapids prioress leadership were represented at the June 27 conferral of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from Aquinas College to 95-year-old former Prioress Sister Marjorie Vangsness (seated center). In attendance, were left to right, front row Sister Aquinas Weber (1966–1972); Sister Marjorie, (1972–1980); Sister Teresa Houlihan (1980–1988) and, left to right back row, Sister Maureen Geary, who became prioress on July 1; Sister Nathalie Meyer (2006–2012); Sister Maribeth Holst (2000–2006), and Sister Barbara Hansen 1994–2000). The only prioress unable to attend was Sister Carmelita Murphy (1988–1994).

Thanksgiving to Maryknoll Sisters for the school they founded 85 years ago in Manila was telltale in their young voices, as women from Miriam College High School in the Philippines serenaded the sisters in celebration of the congregation’s centennial July 2 at the Maryknoll Sisters Center near Ossining, New York.

Titled “In Praise of Mission,” the concert featured a two-hour medley of timeless international and ethnic compositions. The concert officially concluded with a tribute to the Maryknoll Sisters and their contributions to Miriam College, with the Glee Club performing a song titled, “Para Sa ‘Yo Bayani,” which translates to “For Our Heroes.”

After the concert, the Glee Club travelled to Cincinnati, Ohio to compete in the seventh World Choir Games, dubbed as the Olympics of choral music. Held every two years, it is the world’s largest international choral competition, gathering 360 choirs from 48 countries competing in 23 musical categories. Among the nine Filipino choirs in attendance, the Miriam College High School Glee Club is the lone all-female group from a secondary school. They will compete in the Sacred Music and Youth Choirs of Equal Voices Categories.

During the sixth World Choir Games in Shaoxing, China, the MCHS Glee Club won two silver diplomas. They have also won several awards in various other choral singing competitions.